We hope so. This week is Telework Week, a nationwide effort to encourage agencies, organizations, and individuals to pledge to telework on February 14-18, 2011. Hosted by Telework Exchange and underwritten by Cisco, Telework Week started the week with more than 36,000 pledges. This week gives employees and organizations an opportunity to try out telework and realize just a few of the myriad benefits – commuter cost savings, reduction of traffic and greenhouse gas emissions, and improved productivity and work/life balance. If teleworking one day per week becomes a reality for the 2011 Telework Week pledges, they could realize a combined savings of $65,602,451 each year. Further, organizations will realize the operational efficiencies of telework including real estate savings, improved recruitment and retention, and business continuity.

With the benefits of telework come challenges. Technology serves as a major component in the foundation of a successful telework program, and enables telework through mobile computing, collaboration tools, and remote access. However, the cultural shift that is underway does not come without important technological considerations. A mobile workforce requires a robust network that supports accessibility and security. Lack of quality broadband access proves to be a barrier in telework programs. Employees eligible to telework, but with slow Internet connections are often unable to complete critical job functions, adding to frustration and decreased productivity. Nationwide broadband access is absolutely essential to support telework initiatives that will surely move our workforce into a new landscape of efficiency and success.

To learn more about Telework Week or Telework Exchange, visit http://www.teleworkexchange.com/teleworkweek/.